Display fixture



Aug. 6, 1935. Y L. J. WELLS DISPLAY FIXTURE v Filed Jan. 9, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Zea/74rd JA e/Zs Md & ATTORNEY Aug. 6, 1935.

L. J. WELLS 2,010,045

DISPLAY FIXTURE Filed Jan. 9, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 460276212231 h e/Zs INVENTO Md ATTORNE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 I vvilivvvlvlvlllh ATTORNEY Aug. 6, 1935. L. J. WELLS DISPLAY FIXTURE Filed Jan. 9, 1934 Zzwrard A /KS 1935- L. J. WELLS 2,010,045

DISPLAY FIXTURE Filed Jan. 9, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNY a the case in the placement Patented Aug. 6, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim- The-invention relates to a display fixture and more especially to merchandise racks for stores or the like. i

- The primary object of the invention is the provision of a fixture or rack of this character, wherein loose or packaged merchandise can be con: veniently placed therein for the display of the same and also for theconvenient handling, as a consumer can readily inspect such merchandise and the seller deliver the same, the merchandise being readily grouped as to the kind and size of the packages containing the same, thus eliminating the necessity for extensive shelf arrangement for the storage of the merchandise and assuring a full view display of the merchandise as held within the fixture or rack.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a fixture or rack of this character, wherein the merchandise as contained therein can be either fed by gravity or dispensed by fluidity for consumption without requiring labor and energy on the part of an attendant, the merchandise being readily viewed as the same is held within the fixture or rack for the exposing of the same, the dispensing mediums for the loose merchandise being of novel construction and removably contained within the said fixture or rack. i

A further object of the invention is the provision of a fixture or rack of this character, wherein the frame construction is of novel form, providing inclined pockets or chambers for accommodating articles of merchandise, as well as bills or containers for certainkinds of merchandise, as for example, granulated or powdered material, while packaged 'merchandisecan be conveniently placed within the said fixture or rack and on dispensing such merchandise will be automatically gravitated to a position for the convenient dispensing thereof from within the said fixture or rack and the foremost merchandise being located for inspection or readily visible to a prospective purchaser, thus avoiding the handling of such merchandise by the seller, as well as minimizing shelving for the storage of such merchandise as the said fixture or rack is of a character to permit the placement in groups of merchandise therein without the spreadingof the same as is of such merchandise upon shelving.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a fixture or rack of this character, wherein its construction assures the storage of a variety of merchandise, either loose or packaged, the merchandiseat all times being handy for the dispensing thereof from the fixture or rack.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a fixture or rack of this character which is simple in construction, thoroughly re- 5 liable and eflicient for the purpose intended thereof, strong, durable, portable, and inexpensive to manufacture and install.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described in detail, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose the preferred embodiment of the invention, and pointed out in the claim hereunto appended. i v

In the accompanying drawings:

' Figure 1 is a front elevation of a rack or fixture constructed in accordance with the invention, showing feeder means for advancing mer chandise as stored therein and also bins for the reception of certain kinds of merchandise.

Figure 2 is a side elevation.

Figure 3 is a rear elevation.

Figure 4 is a top plan view partly broken away.

Figure 5 is a sectional view on the line 5 5 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 6-6 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of c the arrows.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 1-4 of Figure 6,'loo king in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 8 is a sectional view on the line 8--@ of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of an adjunct of the racl; or fixture,

Figure 10 is a perspective view of a bin or con.- miner for certain merchandise.

gu e 1 s a ide ele at n o anoth r orm o c nt in o b n s mployed for he ur or rack and the same being partly in section.

F gure 1.2. a fra me a y vertical l gitu ml s c iona view t reo w h pout portion lowered to he dis ens n o t c n e ts f sai his or con ainer,

Figure 13 is a plan view of that portion ,of the bin or container shown in Figure 12.

Figure 14 is a side elevation of a still further modification of the bin or container and the same being partly in section.

' Similar reference characters indicate .corre- 55 spending parts throughout the several views in the drawings.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the fixture or rack comprises a frame, indicated generally at H], having the bottom, top and intermediate inclines ll, I3 and i2, respectively, these being spaced the required distance to be superposed at the selected height from each other. The bottom and intermediate inclines H and I2 each includes the front and rear cross rails l4 and i5, respectively, which are of the inverted U form, preferably made from metal and the longitudinally ribbed plates l6 disposed at right angles to the rails l4 and i5 and spaced an equidistance from each other to provide slideways therebetween, the ribs ll of said plates serving as guides to the ways constituted by the plates It. The top incline l3 includes the front and rear rails l8 and i9, respectively, and the spaced cross rails 28, these being united with the said rails l8 and i9, such rails being of the inverted U form.

Located beneath the bottom incline l i is a base stand including the vertical front and rear legs 2! and 22, respectively, these being made fast to the rails M and i 5 by nut-carrying bolts 23 which are concealed within the legs 2| and 22, while bridging the space between the front and rear legs are the strips 24, the bolts 23 being passed therethrough, with the said strips disposed horizontally.

Located between the inclines ll, l2 and I3, interfitted and resting against the ribbed plates i6, are fluted or corrugated cheek sections 25 which are secured to tie rods 26, these being extended through the said ribs ll of the plates 16. The rails 23 of the top incline l3 and the strips 24 beneath the bottom incline'll have unitary connection therebetween, that is to say, the outermost tie rods 23 are so joined, while those intermediate thereof are made secure beneath the lower or bottom incline ll by the sleeve fittings 21. Thus by this arrangementthe frame is provided with forwardly inclined vertical and transverse rows of pockets or chambers 28 adaptable for accommodating packaged or canned merchandise of grouped variety, or bins or containers for loose merchandise, these bins or containers being hereinafter fully described.

In certain of the pockets or chambers 28, each has provided a feeding device which includes a slide 23 movable upon guide rods or tracks 30 from one end of the incline to the other and at the underside of this slide is pivoted a gravitating dog 3! engageable with the teeth of a feeding rack bar 32 journaled in the bearings 33 depending from the rails l4 and I5. This rack bar is limited for longitudinal displacement by stops 34 as created by the depending flanges of rails I4 and i5 and is also rotatable in the bearings 33 to permit the teeth of the rack bar 32 to be disposed uppermost in the path of the dog 3| for ratchet action on longitudinal movement'of said bar 32 which is manually operated by a hand crank 35 at its forward end and thus the slide 29 can be advanced in a step by step manner following the incline l2 from the rear to the front of the fixture or rack frame It, so that articles stacked within a pocket or chamber 28 having the feed device can be fed forwardly within the said pocket or chamber for single dispensing at the front of the fixture or rack. The front of the frame III has fitted therewith a front panel piece A including the vertical and horizontal runs 1) and c, respectively, and these runs c in those racks having the feeding device for advancing articles within the pockets or chambers 28 will serve as a stop ledge for the foremost articles to prevent the same from falling from the pockets or chambers, as such foremost articles will abut such ledge and thus the article will be held in position until it is desired to remove it.

In use with the fixture or rack is a bin or con tainer 36 having the forward end of stepped formation and the wire mesh vertical walls 31 and a like top wall 38, the rear end of the bin or container being opened and closed by a vertically swinging gate or door 39. This bin or container 36 is designed for receiving loose merchandise, such as nuts, cranberries or other like kinds. The bin or container 36 is slipped from the pocket or chamber containing the same when it is desired to fill such bin or container and this is had by opening the gate or door 39 at the rear of the bin or container, whereby free access may be had thereto for the filling of such bin or container. When the bin or container 36 is within a pocket or chamber 28 and when it is desired to remove merchandise therefrom it is only necessary to extract the merchandise through the upper open top of the forward reduced or restricted portion of said bin or container and this can be done during the occupancy of such bin or container within the pocket or chamber 28.

Another bin or container 40 used with the fixture or rack has the vertically swinging rear end gate 4| and the vertically swinging front end spout 42 which, in its construction and that of the bin or container 40, provides a cut-off valve 43 therebetween, the valve being open when the spout 42 is in raised or the position shown in Figure 11 and closed when in the position shown in Figure 12 of the drawings and thus in this manner a measured quantity of material within the bin or container 40 can be dispensed therefrom through the spout 42, as should be obvious. At the outermost side of the spout is provided a glass paneled display section 44 having a removal closure 45 and into this space can be introduced material as within the container for the display of such material.

The containers 33 and 40 are removably fitted within selected pockets or chambers 28 in the frame ID of the fixture or rack and their contents being gravitated to the forward end thereof by reason of the inclines l3 in said fixture or rack.

Another bin or container 46 is employed in the fixture or rack and this contains packaged articles of merchandise 41, such for example as canned tobacco, the merchandise being acted upon by a weighted roller 48 constituting a follower to advance the merchandise within the bin or container 46 to its lowermost front end when removably held within the frame I0 of the fixture or rack. This front end of the bin or container 46 has fitted thereon a sample can merchandise 49 clearly visible at the front of said fixture or rack so that a person viewing the lat ter can readily determine the kind of goods as may be held within the bin or container 46, or in other words, its kind will be on full display.

It should be obvious that a minimum of space is required for the grouping and storing of varying kinds of merchandise in the use of the fixture or rack and the said merchandise when therein will be on display and can be readily dispensed for the consumption of the same and eliminating conventional shelving within a store or the like for the accommodation of the merchandise.

What is claimed is: V

A fixture of the kind described comprising a frame including front and rear top, bottom and intermediate rails, cross connecting rails between the front and rear top rails, ribbed plates joined with the front and rear bottom and intermediate rails and spaced from each other, corrugated cheeks interfitted with said cross rails and superimposed upon the ribs of said plates, a base having vertical legs and cross strips, tie rods joined with the top cross rails and said cross strips and passed through the ribbed plates with interfitting engagement with the cheeks at opposite sides of the frame, and intermediate tie rods connected with the top cross rails and passed through the ribbed plates and interfitted with the cheeks intermediate of the sides of said frame.

LEONARD J. WELLS. 

